Ranger Footballl
by Bralt
Summary: Just an idea. Please review.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**I wrote this when the Giants were losing to the Patriots. The actual time left in the game was six minutes and twelve seconds in the fourth quarter. 15-17 Patriots. Luckily the Giants pulled ahead and won. Go Giants! **

**I promised myself that if the Giants won, I would upload this.**

Ranger Football

It was the Gathering and the Ranger's stood in the field. They had folded up the tents and moved the horses out into clearings in the forest for the game. The teams were about to be chosen with Halt and Crowley as the captains. Anybody could be the captains but these two had been elected for the past five years.

Right now Halt and Crowley stood facing the line of Rangers talking. The apprentices were refs, which was almost as fun as playing when it came to Ranger Football. The men talked among themselves waiting for the captains to finish discussing the rules to make sure no new ones were needed. Finally Halt stepped forward.

"Time for the teams to be chosen," He said while walking down the line inspecting each man for a second. He came to Gilan and Will. They were both smiling. "And why would you two be smiling?" Halt stopped and faced them. Gilan couldn't help chuckling at how much Halt looked like a dictator.

"Well Halt, it's just that you look so funny," Will said.

"Shut up and get over there." Halt pointed at where he had been standing by Crowley.

Gilan looked a little upset that Will had been chosen first but quickly got over it. If Crowley picked him he could at least have a shot at Halt. He looked at Halt with a wicked grin. Halt didn't look the least bit concerned.

"I'll be waiting for you," Halt said then walked back to his position by Crowley.

"Gilan get over here! Halt may not want you but I do." Crowley grinned as Gilan joined him. "I'll give you plenty of chances to sack Halt if you want." Crowley whispered to Gilan as he joined him. Gilan nodded.

The choosing went on for a few more minutes until there were twenty-five Rangers on each team. They then went into their huddles on opposite ends of the field. When everything had been decided, they lined up and the extras went to their team's sidelines. Crowley's team got the ball first and the Ranger from Norgate started the game.

Halt's team went strong for the first half and the third quarter. And for the first seconds of the fourth quarter they were excellent. That was, until the incident. Halt was the quarterback. He had just set the play in motion and was stepping back to throw the ball to Will who was playing as a receiver. Out of nowhere Gilan came and sacked him. Halt immediately fell unconscious with the hit. All who saw grimaced at the force that Gilan had packed into the hit. Halt fell to the ground and Gilan got up looking down at him mildly surprised. They all burst out laughing.

"Wha?" Halt sat up groggily in his tent looking around. It was dark so the game must have ended. He continued to look around and realized that his head hurt with every movement. He lay back down and moaned. Gilan walked in and Halt looked at him angrily. He remembered the youth springing out of nowhere and taking him down. "That hurt Gilan. I don't appreciate being knocked out cold."

"Sorry about that Halt I forgot how short you were. I just remembered all the times I tried to tackle you in the woods. You were always steady as a rock then so I figured I needed to hit you really hard." Gilan smiled. It had been pretty funny to all the Rangers watching Halt go down at the hands of his apprentice. Even Will had been laughing.

"Did we win? It was 9-17 in the fourth with 13 minutes and 12 seconds last I remember. My team was leading."

"Halt, your team got crushed after you went down. Most feared me and the others were still reliving that tackle that took you out. You should have heard Crowley when I got the final touchdown that put us ahead." Gilan smiled with pride.

"Just wait until next year. I'll get you back for this. Now get me some coffee." Halt stared at the tent ceiling in despair. He had won the past four years and now Crowley would never let him live this down.

"Don't you remember Halt? The losing team captain has to go without coffee for the rest of the Gathering." Gilan smiled and exited.

"I'll get him back all right. Maybe even on the way back to his fief." Halt growled. "Crowley'll give me coffee or else he'll have to face me in the morning." He added. He smiled at the thought of Crowley dangling from a tree branch until Halt got coffee.


End file.
